1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to liquid dispensing and more particularly to an improved display for a dispensing machine capable of dispensing a plurality of products.
2. Background of the Related Art
Various types of liquid dispensing devices have been provided by the prior art for dispensing a liquid product. One particular type of liquid dispensing device relates to the mixing of a concentrate with a diluent for dispensing a final liquid product. In this type of liquid dispensing device, a liquid concentrate is mixed with a larger volume of liquid diluent for producing a final liquid product. Liquid dispensing devices for mixing a liquid concentrate with a liquid diluent have found widespread use for a number of applications including the mixing and dispensing a plurality of consumable liquid products.
The invention set forth in our U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,047 is a significant advancement in the dispensing of consumable liquid from a concentrate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,047 discloses a pump and mixing device for pumping a liquid concentrate from a container and mixing the liquid concentrate with a diluent. The pump and mixing device comprises a body member having an input body portion and an output body portion with a flexible wall defining a pumping chamber between the input body portion and the output body portion. The input body portion has an input aperture for enabling the liquid to flow from the container into the input body portion. The output body portion has an output aperture communicating with the flowing diluent. An input one-way valve is disposed in the input aperture for permitting the flow of liquid only from the container to the pumping chamber whereas an output one-way valve is disposed in the output aperture for permitting the flow of liquid only from the pumping chamber. A motive device reciprocates the output body portion relative to the input body portion between a first and a second position for causing liquid to flow from the container through the input one-way valve into the pumping chamber when the output body portion is moved into the first position and for causing liquid to flow from the pumping chamber through the output one-way valve to mix with the diluent when the output body portion is moved into the second position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,047 was reduced to practice in a beverage vending machine for mixing a plurality of concentrates with a diluent for dispensing a plurality of consumable liquid products. The beverage vending machine mixed various liquid concentrates with a water diluent to provide a plurality of different consumable liquid products. The beverage vending machine manufactured under U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,047 found rapid substantial commercial success.
Although the beverage vending machine manufactured under U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,047 remains a successful commercial product to the present day, it would be desirable to improve the display of the plurality of different consumable liquid products dispensed by the beverage vending machine.
Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide a display for a dispensing machine that improves upon our prior inventions.
Another object of this invention is to provide a display for a dispensing machine that is capable of simultaneously displaying all of the plurality of different consumable liquid products dispensed by the dispensing machine.
Another object of this invention is to provide a display for a dispensing machine that is capable of individually displaying all of the plurality of different consumable liquid products dispensed by the dispensing machine.
Another object of this invention is to provide a display for a dispensing machine incorporating a programmable illumination panel for illuminating the display for the dispensing machine.
Another object of this invention is to provide a display for a dispensing machine that may be retrofitted into dispensing machine of the prior art.
Another object of this invention is to provide a display for a dispensing machine that is inexpensive to add to beverage vending machines.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by modifying the invention within the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.